


Lost in Terror

by RealLifeOrFantasy_97



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2003), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Fear, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, One Shot, Panic, Temporary Amnesia, Terror, drugged, poisoned, slightly disorienting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2020-01-20 15:04:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18527494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RealLifeOrFantasy_97/pseuds/RealLifeOrFantasy_97
Summary: "That's called terror. Its confusion and a little paranoia and a nice big dose of panic" -Jonathan Mayberry





	Lost in Terror

He couldn’t see clearly. Everything was a blur. Shapes moved above him, around him, touching him. Panic ramped up his breathing. He didn’t know what they were. He didn’t know where he was. He shifted, searching for an escape, hoping his hazy vision would clear enough to get out.

They were shouting. He didn’t understand. The words were strange, foreign to his ears. But the tone urged him to struggle.

“Hold him down!”

He thrashed wildly, fighting with everything he had, shouting in terror as strong hands gripped his wrists, forcing him down, pinning him.

A voice was yelling strange words at him. “Leo! Calm down please! You’re ok! You’re-”

His wrist was cuffed, restraining him. He cried out, distressed. He struggled, arching his back as much as possible, desperately trying to tear his arm free, grunting and yelling with fear and exertion, feeling tears stinging his eyes at his failure. His other wrist received the same treatment.

“Come on, bro,” A gruff voice grunted. Hands pressed into his chest, keeping him down. “You have to calm down! You’re gonna hurt yourself more if you-”

He screamed, shaking futilely, bucking against the looming shadow holding him down. What was it? Why was it holding him down? He wanted it to _let go!_

He shrieked, a wordless, animalistic sound of confusion and terror. He didn’t understand. He didn’t understand! Stop it, stop it, _stop it! Let go!_

“Stop it!” A new voice demanded loudly. “Let him go!”

“Are you nuts! He’s gonna-”

“Let him go! Can’t you see you’re making it worse?”

The hands released him and he stopped screaming. But he still struggled, fought to get free, whimpering in terror. He could feel his wrists bruising beneath the restraints, warm blood oozing from the cuts his claws had made in his curled fists.

“Leo, stop.” The voice said, firmly but softly. He hesitated for a second; enough time for the hands to grip the side of his face, the voice softly saying, “Just, stop.”

He tensed at the initial contact, breath hitching in panic. But these hands were different. They were kind, gentle; smooth palms cupping his cheeks, thumbs lightly brushing tears away from beneath his eyes.

His body began to relax, melting into the touch so soft, so gentle compared to the harshness from before.

“That’s it.” The voice said soothingly, and he looked to the blurred figure above him. The light behind them was too bright, leaving the figure a hazy shadow, but he focused fully on them, attempting to give them shape.

“That’s better. You’re safe. You can unclench your hands now. It’s ok.”

It was? He could?

Slowly he obeyed, unfurling his fingers, wincing at the stinging tightness from clenching them too long. The muscles, tendons and ligaments in his arms followed suit, relaxing and going limp beside him.

“Good.” The figure praised. He didn’t know why he liked hearing it so much, but he wanted to hear it again. “I’m going to remove the cuffs. But you have to promise to stay calm.”

Calm? He was calm now, his body almost completely slack.

He nodded.

“Ok.” The figure replied, removing their hands. Almost immediately he wanted them back. A pleading whine escaped his lips and one hand returned, gently cupping his face again. “Shhhh, it’s ok. I’m just undoing the cuffs, ok?”

Ok.

He nodded.

He felt the bindings fall away, but didn’t bother moving his arms. They felt too heavy for that now. Instead he relished the return feeling of the hands.

“Do you know where you are?”

He hesitated, glancing around, unable to clearly identify _anything._ He looked back up, slowly shaking his head. No, he didn’t know.

The blur was beginning to take form now, so he saw them nod in understanding. “Ok. You’re home safe. In the lair.”

_Home. Safe._

The words didn’t quite register with any understanding, but he trusted the figure and relaxed a little more, sinking further into whatever he was lying on.

“Do you know who you are?” The voice asked.

He frowned, thinking. There were flashes, impressions, fleeting glimpses; but nothing solid. Why didn’t he know? He shook his head.

“You’re name is Leo.”

_Leo._

His mind grasped the name like it was a tangible thing, refusing to release it. He recognised it. They’d been yelling his name among the foreign words earlier.

Leo.

_Leonardo._

“Leonardo…” he whispered hoarsely. He was rewarded by having definition brought to the figure above him.

They smiled widely, nodded. “Yes, that’s right. Leonardo.”

He blinked up at her; he could identify her as her now. She still held his face lightly. Tears were gathering in the corners of her eyes. Why did she look sad? And happy all in one?

“Do you know who I am?”

He frowned lightly. This was important. Almost more important than his own name. He searched the fog in his mind, unsure what exactly he was searching for. He blinked, confused. Why didn’t he remember?

“April,” a voice said and he was shocked to realise it was his voice.

She smiled, a relieved sob puffing from her lips. “Yes. Yes, that’s right. Do you remember what happened?”

He frowned again. His head hurt; remembering hurt. He didn’t want to think too much. But he wanted to make her happy, craved her praise. So he returned to his mind, tugging at the string attached to his name, blindly following it into the fog.

For a while he could see nothing but misty white, hear nothing but hushed whispers. And then suddenly it all came crashing into him at once.

Running. Playing. Ambush. Enemies. Fighting. Shot. Hurt. Lost. Pain. So lost. Still lost and yet-

“Ambush.” He croaked. “I… shot… hurt.”

“Yeah. Yeah you were shot, Leo. By a dart. You were poisoned.”

Poisoned?

“Lost…” he mumbled.

“We thought we’d lost you…” she admitted quietly. “Donny worked for hours on an antidote.”

Donny.

Purple.

“Purple…” he muttered, glancing around. Searching, searching- there! Purple. Around his eyes. He blinked, more fog lifting. “Donny… saved me…”

Donny nodded, smiling, tears in his eyes. “Good to see you coherent, bro.”

Bro?

Brothers.

“Mikey, Raph?” Leo asked, suddenly panicked.

Two more figures moved into view. Red and orange. Raph and Mikey.

“We’re here, bro. we’re alright.”

Leo sighed in relief, sinking into the mattress, feeling dizzy and tired. “Safe? All safe?”

“Yes. We’re all safe. We’re fine.”

“Especially now you’re back, Leo.” Mikey smiled.

Back…

“Back, now… not, lost… home… safe…”

“That’s right.” The woman- April- _April_ said. She stroked his brow tenderly. “Get some rest, Leo. It’ll all come back with sleep. All your memories.”

“Memories…” he mumbled sleepily. “I… remember?”

“You will. I promise.” She said, leaning forward to gently kiss his forehead.

He smiled softly, blinking heavy eyelids slowly. Sleep sounded perfect. He was so tired… so drained… and when he next woke, he’d remember.

“Thanks… everyone…” He whispered as sleep wrapped him in soft darkness.

His small family smiled; relieved and happy. It had been touch and go for a while, but Leo had finally beaten the poison. Now they had to wait while he slept, recovering in body, mind and soul.

And when he awoke, Leonardo would be fully returned to them.


End file.
